Here are the patch notes for Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 season 3

The wait is over, Call of Duty fans.

Call of Duty: MW2 and Warzone 2 season three global patch notes

Warzone 2.0 promo image with a player holding a rifle and wearing a ghillie suit — Image via Activision

Weapon balancing

“Season 03’s changes add more responsiveness to movement and the fluidity of combat including a reduction to the intensity of damage feedback (e.g., camera shake and HUD overlays). We have also decreased the magnitude on some of the more punitive Attachment cons. We feel this will result in an expansion in Attachment viability that will enable a broader spectrum of playstyles to excel—Including a change to Explosive Ammo, which allows Bolt-Action Sniper Rifles to down players in one shot. As we head into Season 03 Reloaded, we will be keeping a close eye on Weapons, Equipment, Killstreaks—among other mechanics, to ensure fair, fun, and strategically rich gameplay.

NOTE: Updates listed below that have certain impacts listed for Armor are only present in Warzone 2 and are indicated with: ‘Warzone 2.0 Only.’

In the context of the below changes—when a Minimum Armor Damage value is added to a Weapon or Attachment, it is an increase to effectiveness. When a Maximum Armor Damage value is added, it is a decrease to effectiveness.”

Assault Rifles

ISO Hemlock
- All Damage Ranges reduced
- Lower Torso Damage reduced

M13B
- Headshot Damage slightly reduced
- Lower Torso Damage increased
- Mid-range Damage distance increased
- Upper Torso Damage slightly reduced

STB 556
- Headshot Damage increased
- Leg Damage increased
- Lower Torso Damage increased
- Mid-range Damage distance increased
- Mid-range Damage reduced

TAQ-56
- Headshot Damage Increased

Battle Rifles

FTAC Recon
- Movement Speed increased
- Semi-Auto Leg Damage increased
- Semi-Auto Minimum Armor Damage increased | Warzone 2.0 Only
- Semi-Auto Upper Torso Damage increased

Lachmann 762
- Movement Speed increased

SO-14
- Movement Speed increased
- Semi-Auto Minimum Armor Damage increased | Warzone 2.0 Only

TAQ-V
- Minimum Armor Damage increased | Warzone 2.0 Only
- Movement Speed increased
- Semi-Auto Lower Leg Damage increased

Handguns

Basilisk
- Minimum Armor Damage reduced | Warzone 2.0 Only

Light Machine Guns

RAAL MG
- Headshot Damage reduced
- Minimum Armor Damage added to Semi-Auto Firing Mode | Warzone 2.0 Only
- Semi-Auto Headshot Damage increased
- Semi-Auto Upper Torso Damage increased
- Semi-Auto Lower Torso Damage increased

RPK
- Close-mid Damage slightly reduced

Marksman Rifles

Tempus Torrent
- All Damage Ranges reduced slightly
- Close-mid Damage reduced slightly
- Headshot Damage reduced

Submachine Guns

Submachine Gun Hip Spread accuracy increased

BAS-P
- ADS Move Speed increased
- All Damage Ranges increased
- Minimum Armor Damage added to Semi-Auto Firing Mode | Warzone 2.0 Only

Lachmann Sub
- Headshot Damage decreased
- Burst-Fire Leg Damage increased
- Burst-Fire time between shots decreased
- Burt-Fire Torso Damage increased

MX9
- Sprint to Fire Speed increased

Vaznev-9K
- Headshot Damage decreased

VEL 46
- Headshot Damage decreased

Attachments

Ammunition

Basilisk
- .500 Snakeshot
  - Maximum Armor Damage added | Warzone 2.0 Only
Explosive
- Bolt-Action Weapons equipped with Explosive Ammunition are now able to down fully armored Players in one shot | Warzone 2.0 Only
- Explosive Ammunition has been added to the MCPR-300 progression tree
ISO Hemlock
- .300 Blackout (All Types)
  - Headshot Damage increased
  - Hip Spread accuracy while prone increased
  - Initial Recoil increased slightly
  - Long-range Damage decreased
  - Mid-range Damage increased
  - Minimum Armor Damage added to Semi-Auto Firing Mode | Warzone 2.0 Only
  - Recoil violence increased

“Barrel, Stock, and Magazine Attachment stats are affected according to how ‘Large’, ‘Small’, ‘Heavy’, ‘Light’, ‘Long’, or ‘Short’ they are relative to other Attachments. In essence, the below changes increase the upsides of most Attachments stats while decreasing their downsides—resulting in an overall increase to Attachment power level.”

Barrel

Heavy Barrels
- ADS Speed penalty slightly reduced
Light Barrels
- Muzzle Velocity penalty reduced
Short Barrels
- ADS Speed benefit increased
- Damage Range penalty reduced
- Hip Spread accuracy benefit increased while moving and firing
- Hip Spread accuracy penalty for Shotguns decreased while moving and firing

Bipod

ADS Speed penalty reduced

Laser

Laser brightness increased

Magazine

Large Magazines
- Light Machine Guns (Global)
  - Handling and Movement penalties reduced
- Kastov 545
  - 60 Round Magazine
    - Handling penalty reduced
- Kastov 762
  - 40 Round Magazine
    - Handling penalty reduced
- Lachmann Sub
  - 50 Round Drum
    - Handling penalty reduced
- M13B
  - 60 Round Magazine
    - Handling penalty reduced
- M16
  - 60 Round Magazine
    - Handling penalty reduced
- Vaznev-9K
  - 45 Round Magazine
    - Handling penalty reduced
- VEL 46
  - 50 Round Magazine
    - Handling penalty reduced
  - 60 Round Magazine
    - Handling penalty reduced

Small Magazines

Movement Speed increased

Sprint to Fire Speed increased

Fennec 45
- Fennec Double Tap Mod (Benefits from Small Magazine buffs)
  - Damage increased
  - Damage Ranges reduced
  - Minimum Armor Damage added | Warzone 2.0 Only
  - Time between bursts reduced
STB 556
- Single Tap Mod (Benefits from Small Magazine buffs)
  - Damage increased
  - Mid-range Damage distances increased
  - Minimum Armor Damage added | Warzone 2.0 Only
  - Time between shots increased

Rear Grip

Basilisk
- Akimbo Basilisk
  - Maximum Armor Damage added | Warzone 2.0 Only

Stock

Heavy Stocks
- ADS Move Speed penalty reduced
- Aiming Stability benefit increased
- Aim Walking Steadiness benefit increased

General patch notes

Blueprints
- Pro-Tuning is no longer removed from all Attachments when altering a Pro-Tuned Blueprint
Bomb Squad
- Explosive Damage mitigation now also applies to Armor | Warzone 2.0 Only
Damage Feedback
- Visual feedback adjusted to increase visibility when taking damage
Death Effects
- Death Effects are now visible when killing AI
Dive
- Diving fire delay reduced
Slide
- Sliding speed slightly increased

Field Upgrades

Adjustments

Added Thermal Vision to the Tactical Camera for Night Map Modes

Equipment

Gas Grenades should no longer detonate enemy explosives
Claymore | Warzone 2.0 Only
- Armor damage reduced
Flash Grenade
- Flash effect duration reduced
Frag Grenade | Warzone 2.0 Only
- One hit kill radius against fully armored Players reduced
Proximity Mine | Warzone 2.0 Only
- Armor damage reduced
- Armor damage reduced against crouched or prone Players
Semtex
- Now kills downed Players when stuck

Killstreaks

Players watching a Killcam after getting killed by a Cruise Missile will no longer be looking downwards when they respawn
Reduced the range of screen shakes for Precision Airstrike explosions
Juggernaut should now be able to see the tablet screen when planting or defusing a bomb
Bomb Drone | Warzone 2.0 Only
- Can no longer down fully armored Players
Cluster Mine | Warzone 2.0 Only
- Armor damage reduced

Vehicles

Vehicle windows can now be destroyed by melee attacks
Vehicle tires can now be popped with knives

Audio

Added a new cinematic music slider to the front end, which will allow players to control UI music, game intros/outros, and cinematic sequences separately from music that happens during gameplay
Various refinements to footstep and occlusion mixes

Social

Groups Request Manager
- Quality of life improvements for requests to join groups in the Social menu.
Recruit a Friend
- Know someone who has yet to experience Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0? You and your friends can get rewarded through the new Recruit a Friend program.
- Recruits and recruiters can then earn rewards for completing challenges together
  - “NOTE: This Program is not available in Austria, Argentina, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, and the Philippines.”

UI/UX

Player names now appear in the squad lists of a Private Battle Royale Match
Added the ability to preview tracers and death effects that come with weapon Blueprints
New front end/pre-game lobby scene

Global bug fixes

Weapons bug fixes

Fixed an issue that disallowed Tuning on the Assault-60 Stock Factory for the FSS Hurricane, FTAC Recon, and Tempus Torrent
Fixed incorrect ammo names on the SPW 40mm HE and KL40-M2 Underbarrel Grenade Launchers
Fixed numerous Blueprints that were unable to be brought into DMZ
Fixed Underbarrel Launcher and Underbarrel Shotgun Attachment compatibility issues
Fixed .50 GS Barrels that were not equipping properly
Fixed P890 Triggers that were not equipping properly
Fixed Attachment descriptions for unlocks on the KV Broadside progression tree
Fixed an incorrect unlock level description on the SP-X 80 progression tree
Fixed an issue with the progression of .50 GS and KV Broadside camo challenges
Fixed an issue where the UI would sometimes incorrectly display 6 out of 5 attachments

Vehicles bug fixes

Fixed an issue preventing tires on the Armored Truck from being popped
Fixed the minimap icon of the neutral LTV with a turret not having a turret
Fixed an issue that makes the Player getting stuck in vehicles much less likely
Fixed an issue where roof-exiting on an ATV could push the Player through collision objects
Fixed an issue that allowed players to exit a vehicle and leave Maps in certain areas
Fixed an issue causing vehicles to sometimes become disabled when one of their tires was still on land
Fixed an issue that allowed helicopters to fly through objects after deploying AI
Fixed an issue causing flares on the Heavy Chopper to deploy too high
Fixed an issue causing War Tracks to not clear from Players in the turrets of the Armored Patrol Boat if the driver dies

Killstreaks bug fixes

Fixed an issue causing Crossbow bolts to not damage Recon Drones and Bomb Drones
Fixed an issue causing Explosive Crossbow bolts to not damage the Wheelson
Fixed a handful of issues that prevented Cluster Mines from being damaged correctly by different sources
Fixed a small number of out of bounds issues that could impact piloting a Drone

Field Upgrades bug fixes

Fixed an issue that prevented Armor from being used while DDoS was active

Equipment bug fixes

Fixed a bug that would sometimes prevent players using the Riot Shield from being killed by Drill Charges

UI/UX bug fixes

Fixed an issue where players could spam invites to other Players as a form of griefing
Fixed an issue allowing players to whisper, toggle mute, report or block Players, and add friends from the Leaderboard at the end of a match
Fixed an issue causing misaligned stats in the Scoreboard in Multiplayer
Fixed an issue affecting Double Kill Challenge tracking in the UI
Fixed an issue where the Basilisk, .50 GS and LA-B 330 weapons had incorrectly set weapon camo challenges
Fixed an issue allowing custom Perk Packages to be edited while in-game

MW2 multiplayer season three patch notes

A CoD soldier preparing to engage an enemy. — Image via Activision

General

Gameplay updates

Round ending kills in single life modes will now properly track on the scoreboard
Free-for-All style games that result in a tie will now display as a tie for all Players who achieved the top score. Previously, only the first three players would receive the tie, and any remaining players would receive a loss
Added a black fader when spectating teammates in Core Multiplayer to avoid gaining Map information in areas of the map outside of alive teammate locations

Multiplayer bug fixes

Fixed an issue where players could get into stacked crates on El Asilo
Fixed general issues with Player collision, Equipment collision, and bullet collision on Al Malik International, Dome, Taraq, Embassy, Zarqwa Hydroelectric, Al Bagra Fortress, Sarrif Bay, Sa’id, and Zaya Observatory
Fixed an issue where some UI elements were not appearing correctly on Ground War Maps
Fixed an issue that could result in a game crash when using the Combat Knife or Riot Shield to melee a Wheelson
Fixed a handful of out of bounds trigger issues

Ranked play

“Ranked Play continues in Season 03, featuring NEW Seasonal Rewards! So whether you’re jumping into your first Ranked Play match or continuing your Season 02 Grind, there’s plenty to unlock and lots of competition to face. Here are the important details to keep in mind for new players. For returning players, consider this a refresher:”

Competitive Game Modes, Maps, and Settings

“Ranked Play continues in Season 03! Play competitive, 4v4 matches using the same maps, modes, and settings used in the Call of Duty League 2023 ruleset.”
Select Weapons, Attachments, Equipment, Perks, Field Upgrades, and Streaks are restricted based on official CDL Competitive rules.
- Updated Restrictions
  - The following have been restricted in Ranked Play to match active Call of Duty League rules:
    - Cronen Squall Battle Rifle
Updated Game Modes and Maps:
- CDL Search and Destroy
  - Al Bagra Fortress
  - Breenburgh Hotel
  - El Asilo
  - Embassy
  - Mercado Las Almas
- CDL Hardpoint
  - Al Bagra Fortress
  - Breenburgh Hotel
  - Embassy
  - Mercado Las Almas
  - Zarqwa Hydroelectric
- CDL Control
  - Breenburgh Hotel
  - El Asilo
  - Himmelmatt Expo

SR (Skill Rating)

Test yourself against your peers and track that progress with a visible SR (Skill Rating) that determines your place across eight Skill Divisions.

All new Ranked Play players begin their journey in Bronze I with 0 SR.
Players increase their SR by winning matches and lose SR whenever they lose matches.
Both individual and team performance will impact how much SR you gain or lose per match. In higher Skill Divisions, team performance has a bigger impact on SR gained or lost so that all winning playstyles are more consistently rewarded.
Players can progress through eight Skill Divisions by reaching SR milestones:
- Bronze – Starting Division
- Silver – 900 SR
- Gold – 2,100 SR
- Platinum – 3,600 SR
- Diamond – 5,400 SR
- Crimson – 7,500 SR
- Iridescent – 10,000 SR
- Top 250 – 10,000+ SR
End of Season Skill Setback: At the end of each Season, your ending Skill Division will determine where you start the following season:
- Bronze through Crimson players will start one Skill Division below where they finish, starting in Tier I of that new Division.
  - For example, a player who finishes the Season in Platinum II will be dropped back to Gold I at the start of the next Season.
  - Players who end the current season in Bronze will start at Bronze I in the next Season.
- The highest starting position each Season is Diamond I.
- Players who participated in Season 02 will experience the above at the start of Season 03.

Ranks & Rewards

MW2 Ranked Play is the most rewarding competitive Call of Duty experience ever, with a variety of valuable rewards available to players at launch and season after season.
Unlocked rewards can be used in Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2. Unlock what the mode has to offer to show off your rank and skill wherever you play.
Ranked Play now features brand new Season 03 Rewards!
Ranks and Rank Rewards
- Separate from the player’s SR and Skill Division is Rank. Rank persists across Seasons to celebrate the player’s lifetime win total across their Ranked Play career.
- All players start at Rank 1 and can progress to Rank 50.
- Players increase their Rank by winning matches to earn Stars. Each win grants one (1) Star. Win enough matches and you’ll earn enough Stars to reach the next Rank.
- Every 5 Ranks players will progress their Rank icon and unlock a set of Rank rewards:
  - Rank 5: Ranked Competitor Skin for use with both CDL Male & Female Operators on both Factions.
  - Rank 10: ‘Press F’ Emblem
  - Rank 15: Pro Issue X12 Weapon Blueprint
  - Rank 20: ‘Ace’ Weapon Charm
  - Rank 25: ‘Turn It Up’ Emblem
  - Rank 30: ‘Ranked Win Tracker’ Gun Screen that displays the player’s lifetime Ranked Play win total.
  - Rank 35: ‘I’m Cracked’ Large Weapon Decal
  - Rank 40: Pro Issue Combat Knife Weapon Blueprint
  - Rank 45: ‘Sweep’ Weapon Charm
  - Rank 50: Ranked Veteran Emblem & Skin for use with both CDL Male & Female Operators on both Factions.
- Each Rank Milestone also unlocks a Calling Card that represents the player’s achieved Rank.
Season Three Rewards
- In addition to Rank Rewards, each Ranked Play Season will give players the opportunity to earn exclusive limited-time rewards.
- Throughout the Season 03, players can earn the following rewards:
  - 5 Wins: ‘Season 03 Competitor’ Weapon Sticker
  - 10 Wins: Pro Issue TAQ-56 Weapon Blueprint
  - 25 Wins: ‘I’m That Dawg’ Weapon Charm
  - 50 Wins: ‘Tippable’ Large Weapon Decal
  - 75 Wins: ‘Ranked Play Season 03’ Loading Screen
  - 100 Wins: ‘Season 03 Ranked Veteran’ Weapon Camo
End of Season Division Rewards
- At the end of each Season, players will be awarded Skill Division rewards that represent their highest attained Division that Season.
  - Division Skins:
    - Earn a Skill Division Skin for use with both CDL Male & Female Operators on both Factions to represent your highest Skill Division. Once the Skins from one Skill Division have been unlocked they can be permanently used in following Seasons and anywhere you play:
      - Top 250: Unlock the ‘Top 250 Competitor’ Skin by finishing a Season in the Top 250 Skill Division. Players must be in the Division at the end of the Season to qualify for this reward.
      - Gold – Iridescent: Earn the applicable ‘Gold Competitor’, ‘Platinum Competitor’, ‘Diamond Competitor’, ‘Crimson Competitor’, or ‘Iridescent Competitor’ Skin based on your highest Skill Division reached over the course of the Season.
  - Seasonal Division Rewards
    - Each Ranked Play Season features a unique set of Division Rewards awarded at the end of the Season to celebrate the player’s highest Skill Division reached that Season.
    - The Season 03 rewards are as follows:
      - Top 250: ‘Season 03 Top 250’ Weapon Charm, Emblem, and Calling Card
      - Iridescent: ‘Season 03 Iridescent’ Weapon Charm, Emblem, and Calling Card
      - Crimson: ‘Season 03 Crimson’ Weapon Charm and Emblem
      - Diamond: ‘Season 03 Diamond’ Weapon Charm and Emblem
      - Platinum: ‘Season 03 Platinum’ Weapon Charm and Emblem
      - Gold: ‘Season 03 Gold’ Weapon Charm and Emblem
      - Silver: Emblem
      - Bronze: Emblem
  - Ranked Play First Place: The player who finishes Season 03 in the #1 position on the Top 250 Leaderboard will receive a unique, one-of-a-kind Calling Card and Emblem for the ultimate bragging rights.

Competitive Integrity Features

From Start to Finish: Players who disconnect or quit matches will receive SR penalties as well as temporary suspensions, with escalating penalties for repeat offenders.
SR Forgiveness: If a player disconnects or quits in the middle of the match, all team members outside of that player’s party will not lose ANY SR.
- It is still possible to earn SR if players can overcome their disadvantage, but a loss at a numerical disadvantage will not yield SR loss for players outside of the leaving player’s party.
Fair Fights, Even Teams: If a player quits or disconnects before the start of a match, the match will be canceled and will not count. The remaining players will be returned to the main menu.
Professional Conduct Only: Friendly Fire is enabled in Ranked Play per CDL rules. Repeated Friendly Fire will result in players being kicked from games and receiving penalties and suspensions.
Demotion Protection: After advancing to a higher Skill Division, players will be granted temporary Demotion Protection and will not lose any SR within the first three games in the new Division. Following that initial protection, if players were to lose enough SR to be demoted, they will first be dropped to the minimum threshold of their current Skill Division instead of being demoted. Losing their next match will result in a demotion.
- Demotion Protection is also applied for the player’s first 3 games of each Ranked Play Season.
Party SR Restrictions: To ensure competitive fairness and balance of matches in higher Skill Divisions, players in certain Divisions can only party up with players around their current SR. The player with the highest Skill Division in the party determines which Party SR Restrictions are used:
- Iridescent (Including Top 250) & Crimson: Can party with players within 1 Skill Division
- Diamond: Can party within 2 Skill Divisions
- Bronze – Platinum: Can party up without any restrictions

Bug Fixes

Addressed incorrect messaging when a player disconnects from the other team at the beginning of a match.
Addressed incorrect penalty messaging when a player disconnects and receives their first suspension.

Warzone 2 season three patch notes

Map updates

Ashika Island

A Cargo Ship and several Submarines are now present outside of the Port.

Gameplay

All Maps | All Modes

Tempered Plate Carrier
- Upgrades the Player’s Armor Plate Carrier to improve armor plate efficiency.
- Details:
  - Player now equips 2 stronger armor plates, down from 3
  - Each armor plate counts for 75
  - Can be found in strongholds and loot

Bomb Drone Balancing
- Reduced the damage of the Bomb Drone so it will no longer one-hit-kill or down a fully armored player.

Heavy Chopper
- Re-enabled this vehicle in the following modes:
  - Standard
  - Duos
  - Trios
  - Quads
- Added new Heavy Chopper gas cans unique to this vehicle that are required for initial takeoff.
  - Spawn locations of these gas cans will differ between Battle Royale and DMZ.
  - Battle Royale:
    - One of five possible spawn locations will spawn Heavy Gas gas cans each match.
    - One Heavy Chopper gas can is included as a guaranteed Stronghold mission reward.
- Subsequent refuelings can be done via Gas Stations or other Heavy Chopper gas cans
- This vehicle is now more vulnerable to explosive damage

Gas Mask
- The gas mask has been given a slight buffer when the player delays it from being put on or taken off. This should help catch situations where further delay is desired immediately after it was dropped.

Interrogation
- Decreased the time it takes to perform an interrogation to 3 seconds, down from 5
- Added a grace period if the downed Player is immediately eliminated after a successful interrogation.
  - This guarantees that the enemy squad will be pinged at least once, up to three times during the grace period.
  - “Reminder: Keeping the interrogated player alive will further extend the effect.”

Quality of life

Mantle Assist Improvements
- Improved the system that would allow players to mantle over or through objects such as windows.

Advanced UAV Improvements
- Enemy Players and AI Combatants will now appear differently while using an Advanced UAV

Killstreak Banner Positioning
- The position of the Killstreak banner that appears on screen has been moved to no longer overlap with the player’s reticle.

Bug fixes

Fixed an issue that allowed players to clip inside the Sentry Gun.
Fixed several issues with placing a Sentry Gun on the train.
Fixed issue where Mortar Strikes were not doing enough damage against AI targets, making it hard to kill them.
Recon/Bomb Drones will now die if the player goes into last stand.
Added item persistence to Stim Pistol / Rebreather. Now Stim pistol / Rebreather can be dropped after it has been activated.
Fixed several issues caused by Players having both a Self Revive and Stim Pistol equipped.
Fixed an issue with the Assimilation UI that could cause some squad members’ names or numbers to appear incorrectly.

General patch notes

Resurgence Private Matches
- Ashika Island Resurgence (Solos, Duos, Trios, and Quads) has been enabled in Private Matches.

Private Match Spectating
- Spectating has been enabled for all available maps/modes including:
  - Al Mazrah
    - Standard Battle Royale
      - Solos, Duos, Trios, Quads
    - Mini Royale
      - Trios
  - Ashika Island
    - Resurgence
      - Solos, Duos, Trios, Quads

After Action Report (AAR)
- All Players in a squad that complete a match will see the After Action Report.

Birdseye Perk
- This Perk has been re-enabled.
- Adjustments:
  - Now activates when player uses a UAV Killstreak
  - Enemy UAVs no longer trigger Birdseye
  - UAVs activated by the Player using Birdseye will provide enemy headings
  - UAV pings activated by the Player using Birdseye are slightly larger

Al Mazrah | Standard Battle Royale

Blacksite New Gulag
- This roughly rectangular, asymmetrical map has several interior spaces and long external routes. Those who want to redeploy will have to prove their worth on this new yet familiar ground.

Gameplay

New gameplay features

All Maps | All Modes

UAV Towers
- First seen in DMZ, UAV Towers can be activated during a match to provide intel on enemy positioning in the form of several circular UAV sweeps from the tower’s fixed location.
- Details:
  - An audible notification is broadcasted when one is activated
  - The icon for active towers will be visible in red on the Tac Map and overworld
  - Lasts 20 seconds per activation
  - Costs $2000 per activation
  - Able to be activated by another squad even if you have activated them already
  - Those activated by an opposing squad show detection radius on the map

Al Mazrah | All Modes

Redeploy Drones
- Redeploy Drones have been added to Al Mazrah. Utilize these for quick repositioning.
- Details:
  - Can be shot down
  - Will reposition when in the gas
  - Will begin leaving the field around the 4th circle

Al Mazrah | Standard Battle Royale

Stronghold “Hold Positions” Operation
- Locate and defend a position inside the stronghold from enemies. The stronghold will be attacked by continuous reinforcements until the operation is complete.

Black Sites New Stronghold Objective
- An additional black site has been added to Al Mazrah near Rohan Oil, in the Northern sector of the map.

Champion’s Quest
- New Weapon Blueprint Reward
  - Go find out – if you can!

Gas Circle Pacing Improvements
- Decreased the time paused between gas circle movements. This will increase overall pacing across a match.
- Mirroring a pacing change to Caldera last year, we’ve evaluated the delay time between when the circle stops and the start of the next movement. By making an adjustment here we expect to see a more dynamic mid-game. This does not increase the speed of the gas itself in any way.

Gameplay Adjustments

All Maps | All Modes

Most Wanted Contract
- The Most Wanted Supply Drop now drops on every successful completion
  - This will no longer deactivate upon Resurgence being disabled in Ashika Island.
- In Plunder, it drops money and different power items
- Supply drop icon has been updated
- Every team can now see the crate’s icon on the tac map

Stronghold Rewards
- Reduced the number of white Stronghold Supply Boxes that spawn to 1, down from 2
- Increased loot found in a white Stronghold Supply Box

Al Mazrah | All Modes

Intel Contract
- The number of spawn locations for the upload point has been increased
- The upload point will now drop loot upon completion
- The upload point occupation time requirement has been increased to 17 seconds, up from 10
- The “search for the laptop” phase of this contract has been removed

“We felt that the initial search circle that contained the laptop was too inconsistent with the time it took players to find the laptop on average. This time was very heavily dependent on the location of the laptop. This change aims to counteract that concern.”

Buy Stations
- The following items will be available at every Buy Station with unlimited stock:
  - Gas Masks
  - Portable Radars
- We’ve also made some tweaks to item prices. See below for details:
  - Armor Plates
    - Increased to $500, up from $400
  - Gas Mask
    - Increased to $2000, up from $1650
  - Durable Gas Mask
    - Increased to $3500, up from $2900
  - C4
    - Increased to $850, up from $700
  - Frag Grenade
    - Increased to $600, up from $500
  - Smoke Grenade
    - Increased to $400, up from $250
  - Snapshot Grenade
    - Increased to $600, up from $400
  - Revive Pistol
    - Increased to $4000, up from $800
  - Cluster Mine
    - Increased to $6000, up from $3300
  - Precision Airstrike
    - Decreased to $2000, down from $4000
  - Counter-UAV
    - Decreased to $2000, down from $4000
  - Bomb Drone
    - Decreased to $3500, down from $4000
  - Armor Box
    - Increased to $3500, up from $2000
  - Battle Rage
    - Increased to $3500, up from $2900
  - Dead Silence
    - Decreased to $2500, down from $2900
  - Portable Radar
    - Increased to $2500, up from $1400
  - Suppression Mine
    - Increased to $3500, up from $2000
  - Tactical Camera
    - Decreased to $1500, down from $1650
  - Deployable Cover
    - Decreased to $1500, down from $1650
  - Trophy System
    - Decreased to $1500, down from $1650
  - Recon Drone
    - Increased to $3000, up from $2000
  - Firesale UAV
    - Increased to $5000, up from $4000
  - “Future updates will see a continuous evaluation of prices as we regularly review the live data of Buy Station usage, equipment power and more.”
- Item placement in the menu has been revised in order to keep relevant selections next to one another.
- Changed positioning of the Loadout Drop Marker on the menu to facilitate navigation
  - Press down once on directional controller when opening the Buy Station menu
- Spawn locations have been updated and increased to 42, up from 31

We’re making significant improvements to how we determine the spawn location of Buy Stations, this change not only increases the amount available in a match but more appropriately spaces out their locations. The goal being to address negative space and to reduce frequency of buys being in too close of a proximity. Buy stations will remain static in Al Mazrah Battle Royale so that learned behavior can be relied on.”

Ammo Caches
- Additional locations for Ammo Caches have been added across the map

“We’ve identified a number of regions on the map that would benefit from an Ammo Cache to assist with either regain potential, or just keeping an active engagement going longer. As with Buy Stations, we’re evaluating much of our spawn philosophy and will be making additional changes in other areas over the course of the chapter.”

Ashika Island | Resurgence

Rebalanced Rewards
- We have adjusted the rewards for the following:
  - Data Heist Public Event
  - Sea Treasure Machine
  - Sea Lion Statue side quests

Quality of life

Minimap Ping Anchoring
- Coordinates and map elements that have been pinged will now anchor the icon along the borders of the minimap even when they are outside of the visible area on the minimap.

Spawn Protection Timeout
- Spawn protection will now expire on players who remain airborne for more than 10 seconds
- This is in addition to the current x that remove spawn protection when they are x meters from the ground
- We’ll evaluate the effectiveness of Spawn Protection and if necessary make adjustments on a per mode basis.

Blacksite Key Visibility
- Blacksite Key dropped will now be visible on the Tac Map to all squads

Loadout Drop Visuals
- Adjusted the visual representation of Loadout Drops to help Players better distinguish between their own and those that belong to other Players.
- New color coding:
  - Squad Loadout Drop = Blue
  - Contested Loadout Drop = Yellow

Gulag Item HUD
- Items that a Player picks up during a Gulag round will be briefly indicated next to the crosshair before fading away.

Object Elevation Arrows
- Buy Stations, Contracts, and Loot items now have a small up/down arrow on the tac map and minimap to better indicate elevation.

Bug fixes

Fixed an issue where Quick Fix did not activate after plating in Resurgence modes.
Fixed an issue causing the Intel Contract world icon to persist despite having failed to complete the objective.
Fixed an issue causing Battle Royale victories to not update properly in the Combat Records.
Fixed an issue causing the Play Again buttons to no longer work after assigning a new party leader.
Fixed an issue causing items to disappear when attempting to stow them away in the backpack.
Fixed an issue causing Players using the Birdseye Perk to receive UAV pings when an enemy activated a UAV.

DMZ season three patch notes

New for season three

New Faction

[ REDACTED ] has arrived with new Faction Missions coming throughout Season 03.

Barter

We are introducing Barter for Players to have another way to gear-up during deployment. Barter can be found at Buy Stations and offers exchange of certain items for useful equipment. Remembering these “Recipes” will be a useful tool for acquiring specific items. Barter is not Player-to-Player.

Workbench

The Workbench has arrived in DMZ and allows players to customize Contraband Weapons during deployment – this includes any equipped weapon that may be insured or looted. Players will be able to add or remove attachments based on their weapon progression. Craft the perfect build or add the right attachment for an advantage in situational combat.

Active Duty Operator Slots

Individual Operators now go on “Active Duty” when used by the Player. Only one Active Duty slot can be equipped at a time, but all Players will start with 3 slots.
- Active Duty Operators have their own persistent items: Exfil Streak, Dog Tag Rarity, Backpack Type, Killstreak, Gas Mask and Self Revive.
- When failing to exfil, only that individual Operator will have its gear, streak, and Dog Tag rarity reset. All other Operators will not be affected.
Along with Persistent Operators being added into DMZ, we are adding certain Bundles to the Store that have additional Active Duty Operator Slots included.

Private Exfil

Campers got you down? Private exfil will be available at Buy Stations to trigger an exfil chopper to land at an exfil point that is inactive for other Players during that match. It doesn’t mean you won’t be spotted by an enemy squad, but there may be less heat than one of the public points visible on the Tac Map.
As mentioned above the Heavy Chopper will be in DMZ and Battle Royale. Find fuel around the map to utilize this new vehicle. Flying it out of bounds will automatically trigger exfiltration.

New Contract

Supply Run
- Similar to Safecracker, Operators will need to locate and loot 3 crates

New Equipment/Items

Rebreather – new Field Upgrade that allows Players to breathe underwater
Skeleton Key – this key can unlock any locked space in place of a specific key
4 New Plate Carriers
- Tempered – 2 stronger armor plates vs. 3 plate (same as BR)
- Comms – audio alert when an enemy Player or squad is nearby and increased duration of all UAVs and UAV Towers
- Medic – faster teammate revives and self-revives
- Stealth – will not appear on enemy radars (Ghost Perk)
2 New Backpacks
- Secure – items are kept to that Active Duty Soldier if they are eliminated in an Extraction Zone and are not consumed for XP upon successful exfil
- Scavenger – maximum item slots at the cost of the third weapon slot

For more details on all things Season 03 of DMZ, check out our dedicated blog here.

UI/UX

Reworked the Factions tab for better ease of use. Revamped Faction Mission menu layout for better ease of use
- Missions are now shown in a vertical list with new mission buttons
Shortened description panel so that selected Missions can be viewed on the right side
Added a new section to the Challenge menu that tracks the Player’s current progress for Weapons Cases and the awards they have, or are trying to achieve

Gameplay

“Out of the Deep” mission is now easier to complete
- First step no longer requires killing Operators
- Second step can be completed with kills from the surface of water
Reduced range requirements for the M4 Weapons Testing and Lachmann Weapons Testing Missions
Changed “Non-Discriminatory” mission to require killing cartel soldiers instead of Shadow Company soldiers
The details of a Story Mission are now hidden until the Player unlocks the Story Mission by completing 5 of the 6 missions in the tier
The Secure Intel Contract now reveals the closest commander to the Upload Station instead of a random one
Upon failing to exfil from a deployment, a Player’s selected Lethal, Tactical, and Field Upgrade will now default to what was previously selected, rather than having to reselect those slots
Increased overall amount of loot found in world
Toolboxes now spawn more Field Upgrades, gun oil, and blow torches
Military containers, rifle cases, and weapon lockers all spawn more items overall
- Spawn rates of Plate Carriers, medical items, gun oil, documents, and food rations have been increased
New potential spawn location for Weapons Case on Al Mazrah

Bug fixes

Fixed a handful of issues that prevented certain areas from spawning more context-specific loot (Example: Industrial buildings spawning industrial items)
Fixed M4 Weapons Testing not tracking kills for the Tempus Torrent
Fixed Kastov Weapons Testing not tracking kills for the KV Broadside
Fixed an issue where stowing a weapon from an enemy’s Backpack wouldn’t count it as an enemy Operator’s weapon
Fixed an issue where using an exploding barrel to kill enemies wouldn’t count towards some mission progress
Fixed a number of issues causing some missions to not track progress for taking an item if you Infiled with that item in your inventory

Fixed an issue that caused Revive Pistols to be counted as a weapon for the purposes of missions that require Players to Infil without weapons
Fixed an issue with “The Pound” mission where progress wasn’t given if a weapon was in the Backpack’s weapon slot
Fixed an issue causing some weapon cosmetic customizations to be lost upon exfilling a weapon
Fixed an issue where exfilling with a Gas Mask would sometimes turn it into a Durable Gas Mask
Fixed an issue where the HUD wouldn’t update Armor values when Assimilating to a new team
Fixed an issue where Contract UI wouldn’t properly clear when Assimilating to a new team